What is using playgrounds “responsibly”?

[Cam77]

Yesterday Boris Johnson said “if people can’t use parks and playgrounds responsibly...”

What is using playgrounds “responsibly”? Shouldn’t they be avoided entirely?

Dozens of kids rubbing noses, touching equipment and then other kids rubbing same equipment and then touching faces/noses etc?

No idea either. Bloody insane

Using a playground with play equipment responsibly is not going at all.

I believe he meant do not stand closer together in parks and open spaces, walk 2m apart and observe the restrictions. Lots of people were not doing this yesterday op. Playing football, walking close together, meeting with friends.

This is what I thought. I’m self isolating as pregnant, and took DD to the park last week to get out (it was empty). Only afterwards did I think of the issue of her touching the equipment. Also, driving past some parks at the weekend, they were rammed with people!

Maybe it's a language thing? To me, a playground means a flat tarmacced area, like in a school yard (so nothing to touch). I call the things with equipment in them "play parks."

I admit that I am not a Johnson fan at the best of times. But he makes it so hard not to criticize him. His way of speaking and use of language is so sloppy when it should be forensic in its clarity. He’s a journalist I guess, wrong man for the times.

I'm in NI and our council has closed all the playgrounds.

All the hard metal will hold the virus....I think we just can’t take the risk. No use of playgrounds is my view.

@danglingmod
Interesting, I’ve never heard “playpark” in 38 years of living in the UK and Ireland. I would have though the vast majority of public tarmac areas for children have some equipment. Regional variations perhaps?

Our local council closed all council owned playgrounds last night

Have zero clue how they are going to police this

I went for a walk yesterday and people were using our park ‘sensibly’ most people were just walking around, playing with their dogs or their own kids.

One group of about 5 adults & 4 kids were having a kick about but sensibly (stood in a huge, well spaced circle Only one family was on the play equipment. It was very hard to resist the urge to strongly suggest they sanitise her hands afterwards & to suggest they don’t do it again. I hope they put tape around the play area soon. It’s a shame for the kids,but if it’s taped off it’s easier for parents to say no

I think with open parks, sensibly means going for a walk, maybe sitting for a little while, but not taking up residence for hours on end -so that others can use it & it doesn’t get rammed.

For people without gardens especially, being able to go for a walk is quite important. I have diabetes & high blood pressure -both will get worse if I can’t go out for a walk.

Yes to me ‘playground’ is what schools have
‘Play Park’ is with swings & stuff

But many people say ‘playground’ for what I would call a ‘play park’

Kids should not be using shared play equipment

Maybe it's a regional thing. An area with swings and chutes/slides to me is a play park. A playground is what we have at schools - large open tarmac area without any equipment but maybe with markings for hopscotch etc. I'm in Scotland 🤷‍♀️

So at the moment - play park I would avoid, playground is fine.

Ffs it's not hard

Mantain social distancing and supervise your children!!!

Ffs it's not hard

Mantain social distancing and supervise your children!!!

First of all, I don't think anyone on this thread has said they are using playgrounds. The OP was wondering what the prime minister meant when he said to use them responsibly.

And secondly, actually, it is hard to suddenly find yourself at home with a toddler who's used to the interaction and stimulation of nursery, and you can't even use your normal places to get them to run off some steam. Achievable sure, but far from a walk in the park (excuse the pun).